.^~\%£§###                                          ###§£%\~^.
....^^\%§#                                          #§%\^^....
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.^~\%£§###             the alvar fields             ###§£%\~^.
......~%§§             £££##########£££             §§%~......
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.^~\%£§### from  north   to   south,   thirty   odd ###§£%\~^.
....~%££## kilometers.  from  west  to  east,  four ##££%~....
.^~\%£§### thousand  meters. from topsoil to stone, ###§£%\~^.
.^~\%£§### a foot or two.  no  roots can fester, no ###§£%\~^.
.^~\%£§###             dust can linger.             ###§£%\~^.
.....~\££§                                          §££\~.....
....^~\££§ here  is  earth,  clay,  and sturdy  low §££\~^....
.^~\%%%££# plants.  bushes  frame  the  strip.  the #££%%%\~^.
.^~\%%%§§§ earth is  bare  in patches  as  large as §§§%%%\~^.
.^~\%£§###                you and me.               ###§£%\~^.
.......~%§                                          §%~.......
.^\%£§#### cross it to  get to  the ocean, or don't ####§£%\^.
.^^~~%%£##          to stay where you are.          ##£%%~~^^.
......^\£#                                          #£\^......
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